Faulty calling cards probed
BAHRAIN's telecoms watchdog is investigating a phone card company following complaints that it is distributing faulty calling cards.
Cold stores in Adliya are complaining that the Express International Calling Card does not work and some are refusing to stock it.
Their concerns have now been forwarded to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), which has launched its own investigation.
Staff at the Corner Market Cold Store, Adliya, said they have had problems with the cards since August after receiving their first supplies back in April.
They have cards in stock worth around BD50, but cannot sell them because they don't work.
"We tried to access the card by dialling 80002035 when the problem was first brought to our attention, but to no avail," said a sales assistant.
"All we got was a message saying all circuits are busy."
The cards are sold in denominations of BD1 and 500 fils and stores have been refunding customers who return them, but are themselves unable to recoup their cash.
"We bought these cards and paid cash to an Asian salesman who came to our store, but now we cannot trace him," continued the sales assistant.
Efforts to get through to a customer service number result in a message in Arabic and English saying: "This number is not in service."
"We stopped selling these cards towards the end of August because of the problem and noted that they didn't sell that well anyway," he said.
Arar Grocery also stocks the cards and has experienced similar problems.
"We didn't buy many of these cards and stopped selling them altogether when we started receiving complaints from customers about the lack of service and accessibility," said a sales assistant, who asked to remain anonymous.
Other shops such as Zeeba Cold Store and Qaser Al Shooq Foodstuff, also in Adliya, have refused to stock the cards.
"We have started investigating and will be in touch with this particular phone card company to find out exactly what is happening with their cards," said TRA director of communications and consumer affairs Dana Chehab.
"The necessary measures and steps will be taken once our investigation is complete."
She advised anyone with a complaint about the cards to contact the TRA complaints department on 17520044.
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